Chapter 22

Turns out that Tony just might be the brains of the operation. In any case everyone did their appointed tasks and Alex was the proud owner of the black velvet sofa she had been wishing for.

After briefly admiring the new furniture, Tony dispatched Alex to the kitchen with the words "bake, baby, bake," and led the charge out to the pool.

Stacy stayed behind with Alex, although his attention seemed to be divided between her and looking out at the session in the pool. "You should have just mentioned you wanted to bring that couch home, I would have helped you."

"Well, thanks a lot babe, but you've been doing so much driving around for me, I just had this thought this morning that maybe I could get the guys to move it. Spur of the moment idea really," Alex said stirring together brownie batter. "I'm sorry Tony called and got you involved, my idea was to move the couch on the skateboards."

"That would explain why TA called and said I should drive to the second hand store right away and not let you get high anymore because you think up weird ideas," Stacy laughed.

"Yeah, that's pretty cryptic; he didn't mention any furniture moving?"

"Nope, but I was into coming 'cause I was getting real bored at home anyway," Stacy's attention was becoming more focused on the pool. "Wow, check out Baby Paul's moves."

"I got to meet him this morning at the beach; he's like a little guard Chihuahua or something. You guys always leave little kids to chase people away from your surfing spot?" Alex still wondered about that.

"For sure, you gotta earn your way into the cove." Stacy said off handedly, looking out the window.

"I thought it was locals only, like you had to be born into it," Alex teased.

"Umm-hmm, born local, then you earn you way in." Stacy's mind was almost totally in the pool.

"Wow it sounds harder to get into than Harvard"

That off hand remark seemed to snap Stacy's mind back into the kitchen. "Damn, Harvard yeah, oh man, you know I was sitting at home trying to figure out what classes to sign up for at Santa Monica College. I should talk to Tony about that, he supposed to start in September too. I'm really not that into it, you know, it just seems like what I should do, not so much what I want to do. Maybe I can get him on board and it'll be more fun."

"Before everything, well, went down the tubes with my family, I was getting ready to sign up for college in NY," Alex said sort of wistfully.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but did you get out of high school yet? You know, being 16 and all?" Stacy leaned on the counter and looked at her sideways.

"Oh sure, traveling with my folks a lot, we had tutors on the road and I got my GED this year, not to mention I'm smart as hell," Alex smiled at Stacy and stuck a finger full of brownie batter towards his mouth.

"Oh sure, I knew that, not to mention you taste great," Stacy sucked the batter off her finger. "Maybe you want to sign up for school?"

"No, I think I'm gonna wait until I settle in a little more, maybe in the spring semester."

Tony chose that moment to walk into the kitchen to grab another beer; "How are those brownies coming? Jayboy gave you a bunch of weed to put in right?" he came over and stuck a finger into the mixing bowl.

"Yeah and I threw in some extra chocolate chips to hide the taste. Now get your dirty fingers out of my baking!" Alex said smacking his hand.

"Yeah, Tony get your dirty fingers out of her baking, I'm licking the bowl!" Stacy teased.

"Whatever, man, you gonna grace us with your presence in the pool?" Tony answered, sneaking one last blob of batter.

"Sure, we can discuss the benefits of higher education," Stacy said throwing an arm around his shoulder and leading him out the door. "Of course you're usually higher than most."

"Dude, maybe you two really do belong together-you both say the weirdest shit," Tony looked perplexed.

Once the brownies were baked Alex joined everyone by the pool. It seemed that pot laced brownies were one of the few things that stopped Z-Boyz from skating, sorta like kryptonite to Superman. While the others sprawled around the patio downing brownies and beer, Stacy took advantage of his later arrival to take a few carves around the pool.

Jay lay back rocking in the hammock, constantly in motion; "So Alex you working at your bar Saturday night?'

"Yeah, Jay, you see Saturday night can sometimes be an oddly busy bar night," she was going for sarcastic, but the brownies seemed to be slowing her wits.

"But I know you'll have room for your buddies, the famous Z-Boyz," Jay smirked.

"You're coming to see me at work?"

"A dream come true, I know," Tony chimed in, sensing Alex's discomfort.

"All of you are coming to visit me at work?"

"Sure babe, you can get us free drinks and shit," Jay explained happily. "We're doing this exhibition right near there early, then we're going to see the Led Zep movie, and then we'll come check you out."

"So I hear the Jolly Roger gets a lot of hot chicks in there, are they like Mali-babes, surfer girls or rocker chicks, what's the talent like?" Tony asked dreamily. "Should we be picking up chicks at the exhibition or wait for the bar?"

"Hey I think I'm already signed up for getting you free drinks, you're on you own for chicks" Alex replied already dreading the night.

"Oh don't get all worried, we'll make sure Stacy is a good boy, there just for you, how's that?" Jay clearly was looking forward to Saturday.